THE United States and Israel have drawn up plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections, with military exercises intensifying as preparations advance for a possible new campaign following months of conflict, according to US officials and people briefed on the discussions.
The proposed operation would likely target Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and arsenal of missiles and drones, in what some officials believe could be a short but intensive campaign aimed at forcing Tehran to make diplomatic concessions.
The New York Times reported US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel earlier this month to discuss the possibility of fresh strikes, US officials said.
The two militaries have also stepped-up exercises, including flights over Iraq to practise strike manoeuvres, while Washington assembles additional military assets expected to be in place by early November.
However, it remains uncertain whether President Donald Trump will approve a return to major combat operations, having repeatedly rejected plans for renewed large-scale strikes this year.
Diplomatic efforts are continuing, with US negotiators using the threat of renewed military action as leverage to press Iran on its nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran, however, has so far resisted making concessions on its nuclear programme, insisting that the issue be deferred until later in the negotiations.
Iranian officials have also warned that any renewed conflict would not be brief or limited, threatening retaliation against targets extending beyond commercial shipping and regional energy infrastructure to data centres and undersea internet cables.
Analysts have questioned whether another round of strikes would achieve more than the US-Israeli campaign between February and April, which drove up global energy prices and inflation, heightened regional insecurity and depleted US stocks of missile interceptors.
Israel’s Oct 27 election could further complicate the calculations. A defeat for Netanyahu would leave him serving as caretaker prime minister, potentially making it more difficult to launch a new war, according to experts.
Some analysts believe, however, that the prospect of a joint strike could help Netanyahu pressure political rivals into forming a unity government to manage the conflict and extend his hold on power.
All officials interviewed for the report spoke on condition of anonymity. - October 22, 2026